there is NOTHING unhealthy about a mudslide - lots of dairy I'm certain, and dairy is necessary, right? :D

I like tha naughty side of the coin

LOL with all of you!!! I made it through another day ... I'm still surprized at that much of the time ... it is almost unprecidented in my life to be able to stick to a healthy eating plan for this length of time .... congrats to all of us!

ok woke up with no hangover and I'm ready to be on track and stay on track today!

Wellllllllll...


...after a week of challenges (kids gone, sweetie gone, trial preparation at work, and going out to eat six--yes, SIX--times since weigh-in last Friday), and considering the fact that I have NOT gone to the gym once this week (although I DID have some quality box-moving days), I am highly pleased to see the scale goddess smiled on me this morning. I am down 1.0 lb. for the week. Yay to pre-pregnancy weight! Yay to 0.5 lb. from 20 lb. lost since starting WW! :)

Of course, the one-pound loss was AFTER I did the 3.25 miles on the treadmill this morning--before I did my exercise, I was still at the same weight as last week. I HIGHLY doubt I burned the 3500 calories required to lose a pound in an hour this morning, so I'm taking the one-pound loss and running with it. Surely my scale was wrong the first time. :D Plus, the one-pound loss is what the scale showed yesterday morning, and I know I didn't eat enough yesterday to gain any weight.


Lil~Glad to hear there's no hangover...which makes your decision to enjoy your time with your friends doubly worth it, right? :)

And fzzy~I'm very proud of you, as are all of your friends here. A commitment to make any kind of change is tough, but everyone who posts regularly in this thread is pulling for everyone else. I think that alone helps to keep us focused and motivated!

Yay to IAKG!!! It's nice to have a pleasant surprise.

*takes a bow* Thank you, thank you.








Of course, I blew it tonight and had a slightly...energized lemonade with dinner. :D

fzzy, I'm proud of you for sticking to it. I'm glad you've found a plan that you can stick to and feel good about. I'm nearly certain that's what's caused me to fail before - the plans are quick unsustained results that can't be lived long term.

I was a bit down this morning because I had a little battle with the scale. I stuck to my usual eating when I could have easily sabatoged myself. I went shopping and got some pants that were 1 - 2 sizes smaller for positive reinforcement. Hopefully when the offical weigh in on Monday rolls around me and the scale will be more friendly.

I fear I will have gained this week.

Lil, I just KNEW I'd gained. When I eat at home, or eat home-prepared meals at work, etc., it's easy to keep track and stay where I want to be. Going to a restaurant for me is like being a kid in a candy store.

The small loss I had tells me that I'm learning some strategies to deal with the temptations dining out offers. I'm making better choices, and that has both short-term and long-term benefits.

What might help you is to remember that this IS a long-term thing. I mean, just based alone on the improvement of your blood sugars you should be very, very proud of yourself. The last several months have been especially challenging for you, yet you've excelled with flying colors. One "bad" week is minute in the grand scheme of the rest of your life. Over two months into this, you still have your motivation to make changes that will be life-affirming. *pats Lil on the back*

Yeah IAKG on the loss -- great that you were able to eat out that much and still lose, and that you are opting for better choices when you do eat out!!

Lil ... I think we kind of have to think in the terms of one day (or hour) at a time, sometimes we do really well, sometimes the days are much more challenging. But at this point, I think we are all feeling like we're in this long-term and keeping that in mind, think of the progress you've made in these 2 months ... so glad you're part of the group and have been so much a part of my progress (as have you all)!

maddy ... way to keep looking for things to motivate yourself.

I'm planning on spending some time in my clothing this weekend, sorting through the things that have been too small to see where they are in relation to me now ... and to figure out what I need to start looking for to replace some of the items that are now starting to fall off of me ... that's a good feeling, but being a bit of a cheapskate, I just keep trying to figure out how to make the things I have last as long as possible before I have to get any new stuff. :D

I made it through today actually better than usual -- I got my El Pollo Loco dinner, but made choices throughout the day to eat a bit less of the things I don't really need, but often enjoy ... so though I'm inside my calorie range, I'm on the low side ... not a bad thing considering that Saturdays I usually use up almost all of the daily calories, so this means it will balance out a bit better that most weekends.

I hear ya on the clothing costs girlfriend. I am not shopping everytime the ones I have are loose because I don't want to buy 6 separate wardrobes as I get down to my goal. Right now most of my work clothes pants and skirts are super baggy but I am just making due. I'm telling myself, "I'll buy some new things when I need to purchase a size___." fzzy I'd also suggest consignment or ebay as a way to get where we are going but with spending less on the trip there :D

fzzy, I find packing up the things that are too big to be highly rewarding and therapuetic.

I picked up some new running shoes today - they are really light on my feet but they were making my feet hurt when on the treadmill. Therefore, my time was cut short - only spent about 20 minutes on the treadmill tonight.

Yep, I'm with maddy on this one. Weight Watchers highly encourages rewarding yourself for your progress--without food, of course--and I find that rewarding myself with some new piece of clothing is extremely motivational for me. Of course, since I don't have lottery winnings stashed away somewhere, I try to find things that are on sale/clearance/hit the resale stores. The items I bought last night don't fit--yet. But they were on winter clearance, and I'm confident enough to believe that by the time fall comes around, I'll get good use out of them.

I'm envious of maddy's new shoes, though. :D

Shall I mention I got the cutest Franco Sarto mary-jane styled heels too? Clearance is my friend :) I eyed these shoes up before Christmas and liked them, but not enough to pay full price.

That's how you can tell your friends...if they take you to clearance sales or not.











ROFLMAO! :D

shoes?????? I went and tried on Birks today and decided I'm too sexy for those shoes, too sexy for those shoes :D

Lil, I learned recently that the very first US store to sell Birkenstocks is located only a block from my house. Berkeley, of course. :D

Somehow I picture you in thigh-high leather boots, not Birkenstocks. But I guess those aren't practical for teaching. :D

I have a pair of Birk clogs that I got years ago and absolutely love. They are just incredibly comfortable. They are black so I will wear them from time to time with my black dress pants to work. Probably not a high fashion statement, but some days I just want to be comfortable.

If they're incredibly comfortable, maddy, maybe you should wear them on the treadmill instead of your new running shoes. :D

lol... I wanted them for their comfort however most of the ones at the store here were not the more fashionable ones that I have seen available online. I just want some comfy sandals that I can wear and still look girly.

LOL @ IAKG. I don't think I can walk that fast in them.

Lilith, I've never seen a good selection of the sandals in any store. I actually had ordered my clogs online. I just made sure the place had a good return policy in case they didn't fit properly. I'm not usually a big advocate of QVC - but they have an excellent selection of Birks and the prices are pretty good. I forget where I had ordered mine from long ago. You can also usually find a couple of options on overstock.com.

I saw a guy buying the black foam-like clogs yesterday. He owns a restaurant and he says the cooks wear them. They look comfy. I'm gonna check out QVC and Overstock, thanks!

All I wear are birks ... I have feet, knee, and back problems and although they still bother me, they bother me much less with the wearing of birks. Over the years, I've managed to acquire 6 or 7 pairs of them ... usually wear one main pair which are 2 strap but the straps are a bit thinner and more feminine looking that the classic two-strap birks and they are a black patent leather. I also have some goldish ones that are the same style, some red summer sandles that are 2 strap and thin straps, but both straps go across the area just above my toes. I do know that you can get the liner from Birks that will fit into other shoes. I've bought all of mine from QVC or Ebay ... you just need to know what your european size is and that they don't sell Birks in 1/2 sizes so you go up to the next size ... I wear a size 8 1/2 usually so my birks are a size 39 european or 9 american sizing ... on ebay they will often list under both sizes. Good hunting/shopping! :)

I tried broccoli for the first time today - well maybe not the first time. I know I don't like it raw *blech* and the only way I would eat it previously was in chinese food (beef & broccoli).

In the frozen food section at my grocery they have these steam in bag veggies (birds eye maybe?) and I thought I'd give the broccoli cuts a try. They have been in the freezer for a few weeks and I finally took them out. Not too bad! I'm nervous about re-heating them another time though.

I also have some asparagus in the refrigerator that I purchased fresh this weekend. I've never attempted to make it but like it steamed at restaurants... so help me out, please :) I do not have a steamer - so any simple and tasty recommendations are welcome.

Throw some garlic salt on your broccoli, maddy...maybe even that buttery spray stuff with zero calories. The spray stuff is my friend. :)

WW has a recipe I bookmarked for asparagus: http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/...?recipeId=57681. They have several ideas, though, that look interesting; of course, the points are already calculated for you.

You know, now that I look at that recipe - I think when I've enjoyed it at restaurants it was made with balsamic vinegar. I wonder if I used some balsamic vingairette dressing if I'd like it? Maybe I should try just one serving first.

I've never had ginger... (I know perish the thought) so am apprehensive to try it the first go round with the asparagus.

We'll raid the oriental store when you come to NH. ;)

I saw a recipe or two at WW.com with the balsamic, so you might want to hunt those up. Asparagus is also good with the garlic salt and spray butter, too.

this sounds yummy ... I may have to give this one a try.

http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/...?recipeId=50440

It just occured to me that non-WW members may not be able to see those recipies, maddy. Lil or fzzy or osuche or someone--can you let me know if you can view those links? If not, I'll copy and paste them in here.

fill a fry pan with water and start to boil
break the tough ends off the asparagus
drop the asparagus into the boiling water and stir til bright green (super quick)
drain
toss with some balsamic vinegrette

oooooo thanks Lilith! I will definitely be trying that this week.

I love Emeril's balsamic vinaigrette (why is that darn word so hard to spell correctly? I know I do it wrong all the time so I had to google it.)

On a different note, I don't think I like my new sneakers which makes me sad. I had to take them off after 10 minutes on the treadmill today. There is something about the area on the outside part of my foot (opposite the arch) that really isn't comfortable in the shoes. They comfortable for a casual stroll through the store though. I will be trying to return them this week.

I'm ready for the week, and it's going to be a busy & stressful one in the office. I prepared my salad for lunch tomorrow and think I have enough in the refrigerator for re-heating all week for dinners.

I am anxious to see what the scale says "officially" in the morning. I liked the direction and number it fed me this morning, but alas tomorrow is official.

I can see it but didn't before I posted my usual recipe :p They are basically the same. I add tomatoes and sometimes feta.

It's just me and the little guy tonight so I wanted a kid friendly dinner. Surprisingly I found pigs in a blanket to be fairly reasonable calorie-wise. 3 fat free hot dogs (120 calories) wrapped in 3 refrigerated biscuits (150 calories). So for 270 a super filling junk food night!

Ginger has no calories. :D

I would make the broccoli like that ginger sesame asparagus. I usually make garlic and brocolli in a stir fry pan then add a tny amount of stir fry sauce. Yum

Lilith, I've always had pigs in a blanket in the refrigerated croissant rolls - and I've read on the WW boards they make a reduced fat version as well.

They do but I just used the cheap old biscuits. I was making regular ones for my class and relaized that if I used the fat free dogs I'd be in good shape.

It's amazing to me what is actually out there in a "healthy" version. I mean, maddy and I were talking about hamburger/hot dog buns...the ones I'm buying now are just as good as the "regular" kind--I'd say maybe even better. Now, I usually make my pigs-in-a-blanket with cheese...I'll have to find what kind of low calorie/point cheese slices I can find now. :D

They sell fat free and 2% slices